Berardino: Searching for clues in the Peyton Manning dilemma

December 23, 2011|By Mike Berardino, Sun Sentinel

Three Things to consider on this sports Friday:

Thing 1: Looking for clues about what the Indianapolis Colts will do with Peyton Manning this offseason? Then check out what Colts owner Jim Irsay said in a sitdown interview with NFL Network’s Rich Eisen during Thursday’s nights Colts-Texans broadcast:

On Manning:

“He’s progressing. It has been an odyssey that started in the spring, and it’s been tough on him and tough on the franchise. He’s getting better. My first and foremost concern is always his overall health, and in terms of when and if he is ready to get back on the field, he’s got to be healthy. That’s the key thing…But he’s progressed and the arm is getting stronger.”

On if Manning will return to the Colts:

“If the situation is where he is back and he’s healthy, I see him coming back and playing here. There is a lot of speculation about the draft pick and all of those sorts of things. What people have to realize is this: the likes of a Peyton Manning to be seen again is not coming – if ever – for a very, very long time. You’re not going to go into this draft or the next draft and get another Peyton Manning. What he has done to revolutionize the game in terms of running the offense, his dominance at the position, I put him at the very top, and if you check with Rex Ryan or Bill Belichick they’d agree with me. The hope is that his health is in the position where he could return again. That remains uncertain and that’s something like I said is first and foremost on my mind.”

On Manning returning and the team drafting a quarterback:

“I don’t see that being the issue; I paid him $26 million this year – he didn’t play. I knew it was an iffy situation going in. In terms of if he’s healthy and if he’s ready to play, I see him back with us. The draft will be what the draft is; there are a lot of situations that can unfold from here. If there is a great young quarterback there, we wouldn’t hesitate to take him.”

On if he has spoken with Manning about the possibility of selecting a quarterback in the NFL Draft:

“We’ve had conversations obviously through this whole year, so I won’t get into detail what he and I discuss when we met. But we’ve always been on the same page. When the neck injury came up, it was he and I who really sat down and got the contract done; he wanted to get it done. He really wanted to make sure there were other players that were around him so he could have greatness on the field, and that’s the kind of unselfish guy that he is. I don’t see the numbers being a problem in terms of this. This is really about is he going to be able to come back and really be the old Peyton Manning, play at a very high level? That’s something he and I will talk about when the season ends, but right now we both realize we have two games to play. That’s where the focus is: on winning the next two games.”

On Manning’s impact on the city of Indianapolis and the franchise:

“What he’s meant to the city, to the franchise is incredible. These things are always difficult. Whenever you look at the history of great players, of great franchises going through eras, coming towards the end of some eras, it’s never easy. You try to manage your way through it. This has been a very complex and difficult situation, and it will remain one. But answers will come and the offseason will get here, and we’ll see where we’re at.”

Complex and difficult, indeed.

I still have no idea what they’re going to do with Manning, although I believe they will draft Andrew Luck.

Thing 2: That was indeed some bad news for the Dolphins when Matt Barkley announced he would return to USC for his senior year.

I’m not sure he’s tall enough to be a top NFL quarterback, but ESPN’s Todd McShay had Barkley going to the Dolphins in his first mock draft that was released this week. McShay had Robert Griffin III going one spot ahead to the Redskins, Luck going No. 1 overall to the Colts and Oklahoma’s Landry Jones going in the middle of the first round.

Anything that makes the rookie QB pool more shallow only drives up the cost of moving up to draft an RG3 for yourself.

Oh, well. At least Matt Flynn will be a free agent if the Dolphins want to go with a Two-Matt Attack.

Thing 3: Tip of the cap to Heat President Pat Riley and the rest of the Heat family for spending Tuesday helping America’s Moms For Soldiers, an all-volunteer group that directs nearly 100 percent of contributions to care packages sent to U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Riley himself covered the cost of supplies and postage for 250 of those care packages, according to former Sun Sentinel sports editor Tom Christensen, who is active with the group.